Man amputates own gangrenous toes after hospital operation cancelled

Paul Dibbins, 57, took action amid fears he might lose his whole foot which had become infected with gangrene.The diabetic, from Buckfastleigh, Devon., had been undertaking home surgery for the past nine months after he was rushed into hospital with frostbite. He had been out helping his son fix a broken down car in his driveway during icy conditions in February and his feet turned "soot black". The father-of-three was taken to hospital the same day and doctors told him they would need to amputate his left leg from the knee. But after getting as far as wheeling Mr Dibbins down to theatre, they pulled the plug at the last minute. Devastated Dibbins then discharged himself from hospital and thought doctors would call him in a few days to rebook an appointment to go into surgery, but it never came. He instead resorted to treating his own wounds with dressing which he did twice a day and took 40 minutes each time. And after looking like he had beaten the frostbite, his foot became infected with gangrene and he faced the stark reality of losing his foot. But the determined former army Lance Corporal, who has first aid training, instead took matters into his own hands and cut off two of his toes which were infected beyond recognition.